Mandalorian
"The Mandalorians are more human than humanity themselves. They are a reflection of what we could have been if we had not succumbed to the dark whispers of chaos... Yet, look at us now." — Vitiate Franz The Mandalorians are a group of species defined by their adherence to The Way. They are a militaristic people, and their culture emphasises the value of honour above all. The Mandalorians were originally a group of human colonists who found themselves isolated from the rest of the galaxy following the Great Collapse, but as they expanded, they soon began incorporating numerous alien species into their ranks. History Golden Age of Technology Sometime before the Great Collapse, a group of human colonists settled on the planet of Mandalore. They were attracted by the planet's natural beauty and bountiful resources, but before they could properly begin the second phase of colonisation, the warp relays suddenly malfunctioned, leaving the colonists isolated from the rest of the galaxy. Age of Strife Mandalorian society soon regressed into scattered tribes competing against one another for dominance of the planet. They fought viciously, which led to the loss of many of their advanced technology, though they did manage to retain some scraps that they thought were useful for their petty wars. This, in addition to the dangerous wildlife that called the planet home, directly contributed to the creation of Mandalore's unique culture. Eventually, as the smaller tribes are consumed by the larger, more powerful tribes, a single man had had enough of his people's disunity. His name has been lost to the deserts of time, but his people know him as the Mandalore the Brave, first of his name, and leader of the Ten Tribes of Urukhai Under the leadership of Mandalore, the Urukhai unleashed a great crusade against their rivals. After decades of conquest, the planet was united under the banner of Mandalore. Early Expansion "How they managed to create ships that sailed the stars is beyond my understanding" — Galatan Oriona As the galaxy floundered in the wake of the Great Collapse, the Mandalorians were able to expand discretely to neighbouring star systems by reverse-engineering an ancient alien ship that predates the warp relays themselves. Their ships possessed solar sails that allowed the Mandalorians to roam across the vast emptiness of space like the sea-ships of yore. Despite its lack of speed, the Mandalorians were able to travel safely as they had full control over every function of the ship. Eventually, they managed to maintain a fledgeling empire that spans a hundred lightyears across. For a time, they were able to reconnect the lost worlds of the Old Republic, encountering the many species that once filled the Galactic Senate. The Mandalorians integrated every race they encountered into their culture, which greatly benefitted their expansion process as every facet of society was united under the common goal of expanding into the heavens, to, one day, reclaim their lost glory. Their independence was disturbed when the Imperium of Andarra first made contact with the Mandalorians. The Holy Mother sent her highest-ranking general, Galatan Oriona, to conquer the Mandalorians. What was considered to be an easy victory soon dragged on to be a long, grueling conflict that lasted until the end of the Great Crusade. Thousands of Spartans died at the hands of the Mandalorians, who paid for every inch of land lost with blood. Nevertheless, their valiant stand against the Imperium was not to last and Mandalore ultimately fell to the Imperium in 399.M11 A.D. Independence and the Mandalorian Wars In M17 A.D., a massive warp storm ravaged the Imperium, isolating entire sectors to the light of Terra. One such sector was Mandalore. As the most culturally-distant sector in the Imperium, the Mandalorians seceded unofficially from the Imperium and formed the independent Mandalorian State. While many opposed their newfound independence from the Imperium, these concerns were quickly resolved when a rogue fleet of ships disguising themselves as the New Republic attacked Mandalore. The Mandalorians were able to drive the rogue fleet into a retreat, and as the fog of war unveiled itself, a new Mandalore was proclaimed—Mandalore the Ultimate, who promised his people with revenge against the arrogant Republic who thought they could silence the followers of The Way. The Mandalorian's sudden intervention in the First Galactic War caught the New Republic and the Imperium off-guard as their empire expanded rapidly in both fronts. After the war, they were rewarded with a number of planets from both parties and legitimised themselves as an astrapolitical entity. However, their victory enraged the Imperium, who sought to reclaim the lost territories of Mandalore and bring it back to the Imperial fold. During the Second Galactic War, the Mandalorians made the contradictory move of aligning themselves with the New Republic, which put them at odds with the Imperium from the onset of the war. Category:Races